Metallic partition



Feb. 22, 1944. PAULD|NG 2,342,297

METALLIC PARTITION Filed Aug. 9 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g 5 j 3 Z 1 \3INVENTOR David L. Pau' ldzlng ATTORNEY Feb. 1944- D. L. PAULDINGMETALLIC PARTITION Filed Aug. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORDwoidLPluHirg BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1944 METAIiLIC PARTITIONDavid L..Paulding, NewiYork N. Y .,..assignor-1to;= on Co.,,Inc.,acorporation- National Steel Partiti oi New York Application August 3,1940, Serial No. 351,938

iGlaims.

This invention relates to improvements in metallic partitions;

One ofthe objectsof this invention isto'provide a metallic partitionconstruction which,

when erected; will possess great rigidity and. durability and theparts-of which will be rigidly and securely interlocked;

Another-object of my invention is to produce a metallic partition ofthe; type hereinabove specified which will be formed" of" panelunits-that may be readily erected or assembled and dis"- assembled;

Another objector this invention is, in ametallic' partition, to provide"apanel unit with anedge member-embodying a hollow channel shaped uprightelement provided'with a-web' portion extending parallel to'the edge towhich it"is attached andat a right angleto'the plane of the panel memberand having a prong-receiving aperture, and may comprise either anindependent channel-shaped edge-closing member. or a channel-shapedglass-receiving portion of i an edge molding: member, but in either casethe channel-shaped member or portion forms a column-like upright orsupporting-member and the web thereof is provided with one or more andpreferably a series'of spaced prong-receiving apertures, and thesemembers aresecurely fasteneditogether by on'eor aplurality-of'interlocking fastening members having, prongs adap.t edtoiengage the. metal at the edgeof the. apertures ofopposite webs tolock the elements and the panels of which they form part securely together.

Still another object ofimy invention is to provide upon eachinterlocking fastening member, means for connecting, at an angle tothevinter lockingprongs, another panel upright 0r forlresilientlyclipping thereto atpilaster.

Another object of my invention is tolproduce a pane1 unit formed fromside plates having inturned corner. flanges provided, at'the terminaledges, with oppositely arranged and outwardly.- disposed groove-forminghooks. and channelshaped edge membershavinginturned flanges adapted toslide into opposite groovesover the. edges'of the flanges to. lockthersidei plates to-- gether, and provide. a hollow channeI shapededging member for the. panel;

Another object of'my inve'ntion is. to provide uprightchannel-shaped"elements and. interlock.-

ing fastening means therefor. which. will been pa-ble of universalapplication in metallic partie tions and maybeapplied to one-Waypartitions," which comprise panels extending in a single plane,two-waypartitions" in which the'panels are L-shaped,' threeswaypartitions, in which one or more panel-units" abuts a'- main row"intermediate theends thereof.

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide simpleand rigidfastening-members for securely' fastening and spacing the web-portionsof channel-shaped edgemembers to each other-to form a rigid partitionpost or posts; all partsof which are readilyaccessible:-'foreasyerection.

Still another-object of 'myinvention is to provide a fastening" membercapable of ready and quick insertionbetween members having such uprightchannel shaped' portions and which will be engageab'lewith oppositesurfaces of the web ortion of such uprights andwillsimultaneously engagethe inner and-outer surfaces of a pair of channel shaped elements ofapanel unitor the like;

Another object of my invention is to produce a panel unit construction"in which channelshaped hollow upright members are provided withprong-receivingapertures and to utilizea fastening member" havingaspaced prong" adapted to beins ertedlthrough:such' apertures. inadja'cently positioned Eedge: members of "a'dj acent panel-unitsadaptedto. spaceflandlrlock the channel shaped hollow" edge, membersw and thepanel of. which.

they form part in rigid relationship to each other.

Still: another objectoi my. invention is to {provide fastening. membersoft-the typehereinabove specified with wedgemortions adapted toforcepilaste-rr flanges apartrand i adjacent grooves: to.

permit clipping: OffllfilfiiStQl'St or thellike: to such edges. 1 fStill anothera bjectrloii=my invention: is to utilize a. panelconstruction which" will require a minimunr numberio'fiscrews I or otherfastening devices? Still another; ob'ject oi mydnvention is to provide;in an "interengaging fastening connection between upri'ghtsandispacewprongs of a fastening-'- member; such: as 'hereinabovereferred "to,-

means on the uprights for locking such prongs in engaging or seatedposition.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, within thechannel-shaped members, struckup straps to provide pockets registeringwith the lower part of said prongs and into which such prongs extend soas to prevent any spreading movement of the prongs, and thus to cause amore secure, firm and stable interlocking of the parts and holding suchfastening members firmly though removably in position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, on fastener prongsof the type specified, a struck-up interlocking bead and to provide inan upright in registration with said bead slots'into which said beadswill extend to provide a resilient fastening connection between suchprongs and said uprights. V

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises thecombination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to coactand co-operate with each other in the performance of the functions andthe accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and

comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred formillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation of a partition embodying myinvention; 7

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a three-way partition showing the use of my invention inconnection with a clip fastening, pilaster molding and a third panelextending at right angles to the fastening members;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of clip employed in connection with mypanel; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing a fastening member or cliphaving a slightly modified form of prongs and mounted to provide aninterlocking engagement between the prongs and uprights;

Fig. 6 is a perspective section showing my invention applied to athree-way partition;

Fig. 7 is a section through a'three-way partition showing the clipillustrated in Fig. 5, cmployedas a fastening'member, a clipping elementfor pilaster and an anchoring element for a screw connection; 7

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Referring now to these drawings, I have, in Fig. 1, illustrated afragmentary partition em-' bodying three sections, two of which arecomposed of panel units I, l,"and the third includes a door 2, and inaccordance with the preferred form of my invention, each of the sectionsin a given form of partition Iis composed of units of substantiallysimilar" and standard construction with, of course, the modificationsnecessary to produce wall sections, doors-and doorways and the like, andall such sections or units are preformed and built at the plant, shippedto the site of use and then erected, and it is, of course, desirablethat the sectionsmay be erected in the shortest period of time possiblewith the least,

possible effort, providedthata rigid, strong and durable partition isproduced.

In accordance with my invention, when a unit is intended to receive aplate or panel 4 of glass or other suitable material, each panel unitDreferably comprises a molding member 3 (which may be either a stile orrail), having a conventional glass-receiving groove 3', t his member isconnected to its adjacent member by an interlocking-joint in which oneof themembers is provided with marginal backwardly-bent andoppositelydisposed flanges which, with the adjacent surface portion,assumes a hook-shaped configuration and provides a V-shapedoutwardly-disposed groove. Thus, in Fig. 3, the member 3 is provided, atits opposite edges with marginal flanges 3 3 which are bent backwardlyan provide at the outer surfaces grooves 3 into which inturned marginalflanges 5' of a channel-shaped edge member 5 are slidingly interlocked.The member 5 has its web portion 5* extending transversely across orthrough the partition at substantially right angles to the plane of thepanel 4 and a similar interlocking connection is made at the oppositeand adjacent edges, the hookshaped flanges being provided on either thetwo interlocked members. These channel-shaped edge members thus enclosethe edges of the panels and at the upright edges of the panels, saidmembers are utilized in the partition as rigid channel-shapedpost-sections and when these upright members of adjacent units aresuitably spaced and rigidly connected to each other and fastened a rigidframe or skeleton for a post will be provided that will require only thefurther connection and fastening over the panel edges of a pilastermember or other closure.

To enable such spacing, rigid connection and fastening, the web portionof such a channelshaped edge member 5 at each upright edge of the panelis provided with apertures extending from the outside to the inside ofthe channel and these apertures in adjacent upright edge members arearranged in parallel registering pairs, and in the preferred form of myinvention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, I utilize theseregistering pairs of apertures in the upright members to enableinterlocking of adjacent edge upright members and panels together.

By the use of my fastening element, which is more particularlyillustrated in perspective in Fig. 4, I am enabled to space, interlockand rigidly fasten such adjacent upright members together and also toprovide for the connection of other parts thereto. Said fastening membercomprises a transversely-disposed body portion 6 having at oppositeedges 6' depending interlocking prongs I each of which is preferablyextended outwardly from the edge 6' a slight dis-' tance substantiallyequal to the thickness of the metal being used so as to provide betweenthe inner surface of the prong 1 and the edge 6 a tight seat for thereception of the metal of the web adjacent to the bottom of saidapertures, and the bottom edges of these prongs l are provided withoutwardly curved edges or lips I so as to facilitate the engagement ofthe same with the web metal at the edges of the opposite apertures andto enable the pulling-in and fastening together of such members. Theinterconnection and fastening of such fastening members and their prongswith a section of metal at the edges of the apertures of said webmembers provides for a spacing, alignment and secure fastening togetherof the panel units, In the said preferred embodiment of my invention,the aforesaid tight seat on the fastening member is formed by providingeach of the edges 8 at opposite sides of the prongs! with abutmentportions 8 extending parallel to but slightly spaced inwardly from theinner surface of the prong. These edge portions 8 are adapted to abutwith and engage the other surface of the Web portion 5 of the member 5.at opposite sides of the aperture while the inner surface of the prongl. iswm. engagement with the inner.

surface thereof. In this; way;- when. a. fastenermember iszse'ated inregistering apertures in the edge. membersv 5 the webxmetal: of. saidvedge member will be; pressed outwardly; away from; the; panel edge: by;the prong and. inwardly toward thepanehedgeby. the-.edges:8 sees notonly to producea: rigid and. strong fasteningconnecition: between thesaid member: 6. and: the: Web metal-of thehollow. members 5. butrto:provide a;

reinforcementpafor, such' members. and av secure and rigid:interlocking. connection; therefor: and

furthermore, will produce: a-.skeleton frame for theprovisioninthepartition of:'a. r.igid post or.

posts;

In accordance witlrthe. preferredembodiment pronged: edges 6 hereinabovereferred to. and each ofth'ese: intermediate edges 6 isprovidedwith'tmeans. for; fasteningto. the member 6 anotherpartitionrsectionoriatpilaster or pilasters 9. The-pilasters 9 are-resiliently fastenedand for thispurpose I provide. each edge-6i at the cornerswtliereof,with projections I having wedge or spreading. surfaces Ill-adapted toengage terminal inwardly-extending flanges 9" of the pllaster Sduring aninwardapplying movement of saidpila'ster to spread such flan'gesoutwardly and" then to interlock with-grooves ll so-as to resilientlyengage the pilaster and hold the same in place for the purpose ofclosing the space between-panel edges and finishing the appearance ofthe partition-2 and/or producing a post therein. While in'some-casesaapilaster 9 will be applied' atopposite sides of-the member-6- soas-toproducea finished-post in a two-way single partition, it is in manycases necessary to have a three-way partition such as illustrated inFig. 4 and for the purpose of providing a" fastening connection for athird' leg ofa partition, I-also" provide at the edge. 6' o'ftliefastening member separate tongues I2 preferablyprojecting-upwardly,andeach tongue I2 is providedwith a fastening notch: 12'. Insaidpreferredembodiment theno'tches I 2 are utilized to receive andabut' the head l3 of a bolt 13 which is adapted toprojctthrougli one ofthe standardized apertures 5 in an upright member 5=-of the thirdpartition leg, as more partlcularly-shown in Fig: 7.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and '7, an-elongated bridge-'memb'e'rl3 -ispreferably positioned at the inner side of the aperture and providedwith a screw-threaded opening through which the bolt l3 extends.Obviously, when the head of the bolt abuts the edges of the kerf ornotch I2 and the bridge member I 3 abuts the opposite edges of theaperture 5', the bolt may be tightened up as rigidly as desired and thepanel I of the third partition leg will be securely mounted and fastenedin place.

In Fig. '7 I have shown an extremely simple form of interlocked panelconstruction comprising oppositely disposed side plates I, I each havingcorner bends I and inturned flanges the marginal edges I of which arebent backwardly to provide hook-shaped portions which formoppositely-disposed grooves I". These grooves receive and interlock withflanges 5' of the hollow edge member 5 in the same way as hereinabovedescribed in relation to the interlocking connection between said member5 and the; glass-receiving member 3 in: Fig. 3 and theg1assreceivingmember 3 of Fig. 2.v In the lastmentioned construction,the backwardly-turned flanges-l are similarlyformed on the side paneledges while in Fig. 3 thehook-shaped flanges are. formed on the moldingmember 3; but in othen; respects the.- interlocking connections aresimilan.

Thenpanel of Fig. 7 may. be entirely hollow is preferablyprovidedtoiurtherlockthe prongs l: to =-'the: upright members and forthis purpose.

upright channel members such as shown in Figs. 3,!l1andi'6'to 8 areprovided as more particularly shown in Fig. li with pairs of slots iinto which the curved lip portions I extend, and, although thefrictional locking shown in Fig. 8 operates to eiiectually holdthe partstogether, I.also preferably provide the prongs l with. a morepronounccdstruck -up locking bead 1 such as shown in'Fig; 5'. Ineitherevent, an additional special locking connection between the prong anduprig'htmember is provided which prevents any tendency of the fasteningmember 6 to loosen' up.

Itwillbe-seen, therefore, that I have provided.

a hollow channel-shapedmember having its web portion extending parallelwith the edge of the unit and-at right angles to'the plane of the panelandthat such a member may either comprise a special separatemember usedfor that 'purpose as "shown in Figs: 1 to 8.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a metallic partition, the combination of a plurality of units,each unit provided with a channel shaped upright edge-member having itschannel web portion extending in a vertical plane transversely of thepartition and in parallel relationship with the edge of the unit, saidupright edge-members being arranged in adjacently-po'sitioned pair'shaving their channel web-members spaced from each other and proportioncomprising a spacing'plate provided at opposite edges withoutwardly anddownwardlyprojectingpronged' portions, said plate together with theoutwardly-projecting parts of the pronged portions being of greaterwidth than thedistance between the vertical planes of. said web-portionsand said'prong portions being extensible through said pairs ofregistering apertures therein to engage inside surfaces of theweb-portions within the channels of said upright members, said spacingplates also having at opposite sides of and adjacent to each prongedportion, additional web-engaging portions simultaneously engageable withoutside surfaces of said web-portions, whereby upon insertion of theclip between said apertured webs and movement thereof into finalposition each of said opposite edges of the spacing plate will havetight oppositely-engaging triple-contact interlocking connections withadjacent portions of opposite surfaces of the web-portion of one of saidchannelshaped upright members and flexing of such webportion adjacent tothe connections is prevented, additional partition parts, and means forconnecting to said uprights said additional partition parts to produce aclosed post.

2. In a metallic partition, the combination of a plurality of units,each unit provided with a channel-shaped upright edge-member having itschannel-web portion extending in a vertical plane transversely of thepartition and in parallel relationship with the edge of the unit, saidupright edge-members being arranged in adjacently-positioned pairshaving their channel web-members spaced from each other and providedwith pairs of prong-insertion registering apertures, a plurality ofindependent spacing clips, each having a transversely-disposedbody-portion comprising a spacing plate provided at opposite edges withoutwardly and downwardly-projecting pronged portions, said platetogether with the outwardly-- projecting parts of the pronged portionsbeing of greater width than the distance between the vertical planes ofsaid web-portions and said prong portions being extensible through saidpairs of registering apertures therein to engage inside surfaces of theweb-portions within the channels of said upright members, said spacingplates also having at opposite sides of and adjacent to each prongedportion, additional webengaging portions simultaneously engageable 5with outside surfaces of said web-portions, whereby upon insertion ofthe clip between said apertured webs and movement thereof into finalposition each of said opposite edges of the spacing plate will havetight oppositely-engaging triple-contact interlocking connections withadjacent portions of opposite surfaces of the webportion of one of saidchannel-shaped upright members and flexing of such web-portion adjacentto the connections is prevented, said prongs having inwardly curved lipportions and said Web portions of the uprights having slots within whichsaid curved lip portions seat in engaged position to more securely lockthe prongs to said web, and means at another edge of said body forfastening said additional partition parts thereto to enclose saidfastening member and produce a closed post.

3. In a metallic partition, the combination of a plurality of units,each unit provided with a channel-shaped upright edge-member having itschannel-web portion extending in a vertical plane transversely of thepartition and in parallel relationship with the edge of the unit, saidupright edge-members being arranged in adjacent- ]y-positioned pairshaving their channel webmembers spaced from each other and provided withpairs of prong-insertion registering apertures, additional partitionparts, a plurality of in.- dependent spacing clips, each having atransversely-disposed body-portion comprising a spacing plate providedat opposite edges with outwardly and downwardly-projecting pronged'portions,

said plate together with the outwardly-projecting parts of the prongedportions being of-greater.

faces of the web-portions within the channels of said upright members,said spacing plates also having at opposite sides of and adjacent toeach pronged portion, additional web-engaging portions simultaneouslyengageable with outside surfaces of said web-portions, whereby uponinsertion of the clip between said apertured Webs and movement thereofinto final position each of said opposite edges of the spacing platewill have tight oppositely-engaging triple-contact interlockingconnections with adjacent portions of opposite surfaces of theweb-portion of one of said channel-shaped upright members and flexing ofsuch web-portions adjacent to the connections is prevented, and anadditional locking c nnection between said webs and pronged portionsdisposed adjacent to the said pairs of pronginsertion registeringapertures to prevent loosening of said pronged portions, and means atanother edge of said body for fastening said additional partition partsthereto to enclose said fastening member and produce a closed post.

i. In a metallic partition, the combination of a plurality of units,each unit comprising side members and including a channel-shaped uprightedge member having its channel-web portion extending transversely of thepartition and in parallel relationship with the edge of the unit, saidside and edge members being connected by an interlocking joint embodyinga pair of oppositely-arranged hook-shaped marginal portions on one partto provide outwardly-disposed grooves and a pair of inwardly-disposedmarginal flanges on the other part, and said upright edgemernbers beingarranged in adjacently-positioned pairs having their channel web-membersspaced from each other and provided with pairs of registering apertures,fastening members of greater width than the distance between theweb-portions of such uprights and extending within said registeringapertures to engage the web portion at the inside of said apertures toprovide an open skeleton post, and means on said bridgingmember forconnecting to said uprights other partition parts.

DAVID L. PAULDING.

